But the early painters would tolerate nothing
natural near their splendid persons. They covered their backgrounds
with gilding, so that a glory surrounded the entire figure, throwing
out the personality sharp and strong. Nothing broke its effect. But
after all, one comes to see that we inhabit a world; nature is
continually about us, and man really shows his eminence most fully
when standing dominant over nature. Early painting, accordingly, began
to set in a little landscape around the human figures, contrasting the
person with that which was not himself. But an independent interest
could not fail to spring up in these accessories. By degrees the
landscape is elaborated and the figure subordinated. The figure is
there by prescription, the landscape because people enjoy it. Nature
begins to assert her claims; and man, the eminent and worthy
representative of old ideals, retires from his ancient prominence.
When the Renaissance revolted against the teachings of the mediaeval
church, the disposition to return to nature was insolently strong.
Natural impulses were glorified, the physical world attracted
attention, and even began to be studied. Hitherto it had been thought
deserving of study only because in a few respects it was able to
minister to man. But in the Renaissance men studied it for its own
sake.
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